YEC 2010

Once again I am back from YEC and while I had an amazing time I am exhausted! I got to hang out with friends, meet new people, and hear about God.

This year’s band was called UnHindered. I had never heard of them until Friday but I instantly fell in love with their music. Anytime you are at a concert there are always two types of people. The more reserved people in the back that clap when every one else does but that’s it and the crazies in front who sing, dance, jump, and scream. I have always been someone in the more reserved group until this year. This year was a totally different experience for me because I have never really allowed God to take control of me through the music. This year I did. I allowed Him to let the music take me. By doing this I really think that I got soooo much more out of YEC than ever before. I really feel that by being a crazy my eyes were opened to the true meaning of all the songs sung and how fun it is to just worship. It is so amazing how when you just let go, God reveals twice as much.

This year a man named Joe Castillo– Sandman to all of us youth- was at YEC. He told biblical stories by making pictures with sand. It was breathtaking! His stories were accompanied by music that really added to the whole effect and made it seem so much more life-like. On Friday he did the story a story called Passion. It showed Jesus being flogged, crucified, and the tomb being empty. On Saturday he did the story of the Prodigal Son. Both of the stories were amazing in the way they painted such a vivid picture of biblical stories.

The Skit Guys were also at YEC this year. Both days they did hilarious skits that taught a lesson and bible stories and songs. The Skit Guys were really good with what they do- they really know how to keep the mood light but take it back to serious when needed. They really made the story of Adam and Eve and the song of Zacchaeus stick in my head.

Our key speaker this year was Ed Newton. Ed’s message began with him telling us his favorite restaurant through a series of hints: They sell chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, lemonade, brownies, and their mascot is a cow. Then on the count of three we recited their (Chic-Fil-A’s) billboard quote: Eat More Chicken. Ed now began his lesson by asking us a question: What does your billboard say? Our billboards make a lifelong impression on people. While we are going to mess up sometimes or not listen to God should we let our mess-ups be our life style? No, we shouldn’t. We need out billboards to show off God.

YEC this year was amazing. Lessons were learned, tears were shed, and realizations were made. Ed’s lesson came off to me as being whether or not your life is reflecting God. I’m going to ask you what I am now asking myself: What does your billboard say?

I encourage everyone to go to the websites I have linked to and listen to one of UnHindered’s songs; Watch a sand story; Watch a skit; and listen to one of Ed Newton’s messages.